I am a big fan of The Oscars. Every year I try to watch all of the best picture nominees that interest me and usually, I’ve crossed off 1 or 2 before they are even announced. This year however, I found myself playing catch up, having seen none of the nominated movies with only a few weeks to go before the awards. I promptly organized a couple of Tuesday movie nights to rectify the situation. Conveniently, Winterlicious was also underway. Early dinner reservations at La Societe was perfect before walking over to Cineplex Varsity.

Atmosphere: La Societe is located in the heart of Yorkville on Bloor St. I still remember when the space used to be a fancy Chinese restaurant before transforming into the opulent French bistro it is today. Stepping into the restaurant felt like stepping into a different decade and city altogether; from the mosaic floor with gold lettering to the stunning stained glass ceiling. We were settled in a spacious leather booth and I loved having the extra room for my backpack and camera bag. My friends and I were casually dressed or dressed for work, but I could see the restaurant welcoming a wide range of attire.

Service: Overall, service was okay. Since we had plans to watch a movie after, I was paying close attention to the time and was happy that all of our courses arrived speedily from the kitchen. The one hiccup was a delay in our bread basket arriving. I mainly noticed because I was waiting to get some carbs in my body before I sipped my wine as I hadn’t eaten very much that day. Since our reservation was pretty early, 5:45pm, a server came by to apologize and let us know that the bread was still being warmed up. On a normal day, I wouldn’t have even noticed.

Food: From the three appetizer choices, all 3 of us opted for the Winter Squash Soup with toasted pumpkin seeds, caramelized apple and brown butter. The soup itself was warm, thick and wonderfully creamy. In the center of the bowl was a mound of caramelized apple that was covered by the soup. Digging in with our spoons, we were all surprised by the unexpected punch of sweetness. I didn’t love the two component separate, but stirred all together, the caramelized apples mellowed out and was quite tasty.

For entrees, two of us chose the Steak Frites, myself included, while my other friend tried the Pan Seared Salmon. The steak was at least 6 ounces and cooked perfectly medium rare, just as I had ordered, with a dark char on the outside. My knife cut through the steak easily and each bite was tender and juicy. The side of fries were crispy, lightly seasoned with herbs and served with ketchup and mayonnaise. All together, a very satisfying dish.

While all three dessert options sounded delicious (Lemon Tart, Chocolate Cremeux, and Creme Brulee), our table unanimously went for the La Societe Classic Creme Brulee. I always delight in breaking into my creme brulee with my spoon and making sure each spoonful of custard has a piece of the sweet, crystal layer. At La Societe, the custard was creamy and sweet, a perfect texture just before solid. The sugar topping was caramelized with just a touch of burnt, which added a depth of flvaour without being bitter.

After wine, tax and tip, my dinner added up to just under $80. For a normal dinner out, this was on the pricier side. For a nice dinner out, pretty on par. Overall, I enjoyed my Winterlicious meal at La Societe and would return to try out their regular menu in the future.

The latest season of Winterlicious is in full swing and Toronto restaurants are packed with diners taking advantage of the many delicious three-course prix fixe menus being offered. Azure Restaurant and Bar, located in the Intercontinental Toronto Centre, has participated in the Licious event for several years and will again be offering a delectable lunch and dinner menu this year. I was invited for a behind the scenes view into Azure’s Winterlicious menu with a hands-on workshop led by Executive Chef Shawn Whalen and Chef de Cuisine Grace Di Fede. During the hour long cooking demonstration, I learned how to poach scallops, sear osso bucco and deep fry fritters.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

Our night at Azure began with a workshop with Chef Whalen and Chef Di Fede. Chef Whalen joined Azure in 2013 and brought with him 30+ years of culinary experience, while Chef Di Fede has worked at Azure since 2011, being promoted to Chef De Cuisine in 2013. Aprons and tall chef hats were laid out, allowing us to look the part while we cooked with the chefs. We walked through the steps to put together two appetizers, an entree and the Tiramisu Parfait dessert. Once all the pots were going, the aroma in the room was heavenly, especially the simmering Port and Black Cherry Braised Osso Bucco. Chef Di Fede plated an Octopus & Scallop Escabeche live for us and I loved seeing the dish come together from start to end. We all tasted a few of the freshly fried Maple & Oka Fritters, part of the Squash & Caramelized Pear Soup appetizer. I only wish we had more time with the Chefs to see more finished plates, but we could only keep them from the busy kitchen for so long.

After the workshop, we got to taste the menu. While I had a lot of fun cooking, eating was still my favourite part of the evening. I had the chance to taste 80% of the Winterlicious dinner menu and while every bite was good, there were definite standouts for each course and they weren’t the dishes I would have normally ordered. For the appetizers, based just on words, I would have order the Octopus & Scallop Escabeche, which was poached seafood marinated in lime juice and olive oil. The scallop was sweet and the octopus incredibly tender. I would have been very happy with this appetizer, if I didn’t get to try the Squash and Caramelized Pear Soup, which was incredible. The thick soup was rich in flavour, earthy and sweet and perfect with the cold weather. I cleaned my bowl as well I could with a spoon and had to resist licking the last drops.

For entrees, I was initially drawn to the Grain Mustard Coated Salmon, but after smelling the simmering osso bucco, I opted for the Port & Black Cherry Braised Veal Shank as my main. The shank was served with a mascarpone risotto cake that was well seasoned, a good texture and quite filling. I really liked the spoonful of marrow in the bone, but for me, the shank itself was a touch dry. The salmon was cooked well, flaking with a light touch and served on a bed of couscous. Of the three entrees, the one that I was not interested in was the Lumache (a snail shell shaped pasta) with Gorgonzola Cream but we ordered a plate to share. Oh my god. It was amazing. The pasta was a perfect texture and the creamy, cheese sauce was heavenly with a hint of sweetness from the apples. Of the three entrees, the Lumache was my favourite and I ate more than my fair share of the plate.

By the time we made it to dessert, I only had room to really try one and I was happy with my choice of Tiramisu Parfait. The layers of cream were airy and sweet without being heavy. I would’ve liked a little more texture in the parfait, but the biscotti dipped in was perfect.

Overall, at $48 the dinner menu at Azure for Winterlicious is a great steal. Even better, all of my favourite dishes are available on their lunch menu as well for just $28. My perfect meal would start with the Squash and Caramelized Pear Soup, followed by the Lumache with Gorgonzola Cream and ending with the Tiramisu Parfait. Winterlicious this year runs until February 9th.

Where I’ll Be:

1. Auberge du Pommier – $48 Dinner / French / The “fancy” dinner
2. Leña – $48 Dinner / Spanish / The “date night” dinner
3. La Societe – $48 Dinner / French / The “girls night” dinner

Recommendations:

• Lunch – I’m looking for tantalizing menus that are similar or even more appealing relative to the dinner menu

1. Auberge du Pommier (Past Review) – $28 Lunch / Canadian / I would order Terrine, Salmon and Chocolat
2. Canoe (Past Review) – $28 Lunch / Canadian / I would order Foie Gras Parfait, Wild BC. Keta Salmon and Sticky Toffee Pudding
3. Miku (Past Review) – $28 Lunch / Japanese / I would order Miku Zen, Miku Signature Aburi and Green Tea Opera

• Dinner – I’m looking for great atmosphere, interesting menu items and best value

1. Nota Bene – $48 Dinner / Contemporary / I would order Quebec Venison Foie Gras Terrine, Seabass and Artizanal Cheese Plate
2. Bestellen (Past Review) – $38 Dinner / Steakhouse / I would order Chicken Liver Pate, Flat Iron Steak and House-Made Tiramisu
3. Drake Hotel – $38 Dinner / Canadian / I would order Butternut Squash Soup, Pan Seared Trout and Apple Pie

• Good for Groups – I’m looking for a variety of choices, easy parking/access and a spacious dining area

1. Azure (Review to come) – $28 Lunch / Canadian / I would order Squash and Pear Soup, Lumache with Gorgonzola Sauce and the Tiramisu Parfait
2. Lisa Marie – $28 Dinner only / Contemporary / For dinner I would order Tuna Ceviche Nachos, Seoul Fried Chicken and Oreo Cheesecake
3. Luma (Past Review) – $23 Lunch / Contemporary / I would order Butternut Squash Soup, Steak Sandwich and Le Cendrillon

Check out all of my past Licious event reviews for more ideas and recommendations.  

This year, I only picked two restaurants to visit for Winterlicious, choosing quality over quantity. For date night, The Hubby and I re-visited Cafe Boulud and continuing with the French theme, I picked Colette Grand Cafe for girl’s night. With high ceilings, white columns, marble floors and plenty of chandeliers, Colette Grand Cafe well suited the occasion.

Atmosphere: Colette Grand Cafe was a lovely vision of blue and white. Plush baby blue bench seats lined the dining room filled with white marble tables. I felt like I was in a life-size dollhouse. Lighting was dim, creating a sense of privacy in the open room, but tables were close to each other. It was hard to tune out the discussion in my left ear.

Service: I found service was pleasant, efficient and unobtrusive. Writing this post, I don’t have much to say. My friends and I were quite engrossed in our conversation and our servers took care of us without us even noticing.

Food: What was remarkable, was the food. Each course on the Winterlicious menu had a good number of options with two vegetarian appetizers. All of us went with the French Onion Soup, served piping hot in a classic, white, lion head porcelain bowl. The soup was sweet, savoury and cheesy, all soaked up by the crouton. You could taste the strong beef broth and onion flavour.

For my entree, I had the Boeuf Bourguignon with wine braised celery root, potato puree and pearl onions. The medallion of beef was super tender and fell apart at the touch of my fork. I liked that the vegetables were still crunchy and lightly seasoned, contrasted the strong seasoning in the broth creamy potatoes. The plating also showed off the ingredients, making a typically heavy, neutral coloured dish look fresh and colourful. When the dish first arrived, I was unsure how full I would be but the portion proved to be quite filling. One of my friends opted for the vegetarian option, a wild mushroom risotto, that was also satisfying and well-cooked.

Since there were three of us, it only made sense to order one of each dessert. There was a rice pudding, a chocolate brownie cake and salted caramel ice cream, which was unlisted and amazing. Of the three, I loved the salted caramel ice cream that was indulgent and the perfect balance of salty and sweet. The rice pudding was light, fluffy and nutty while the chocolate brownie would’ve satisfied any chocolate lover.

This was Colette’s first year participating in a Licious event and I would love to see them continue to take part. I hear great reviews about Colette’s bakery and will have to return to sink my teeth into some flakey croissants.

Back in 2014, I had dinner at Cafe Boulud during Summerlicious and thoroughly enjoyed my meal. Thus I was surprised when Cafe Boulud shuttered their doors in June 2015 to undergo a full redesign in both aesthetic and food. Walking into the Cafe Boulud for this year’s Winterlicious felt like an entirely different restaurant. The space was unrecognizable from it’s previous incarnation. Reminiscent of a cozy French bistro with long booth seats and deep leather chairs, gone were the pop-art paintings, replaced by simple framed pieces.

Atmosphere: Being Winterlicious, Cafe Boulud was filled to capacity. We arrived early for our 5pm reservation, the first dinner seating and waited with a growing crowd of like-minded early birds. Complimentary coat check was available, which I took advantage of. Our table was across from the long brass bar and i watched the bartenders prep for a busy night. The dining space was warm, intimate and tables well spaced out. Perfect for date night. Diners were dressed from casual to suit and tie.

Service: This was the first time in awhile that service was lovely and added to my meal experience. Our server had a friendly, genuine smile, chatted with us about the menu and was patient as The Hubby snapped pictures. Bread crumbs were cleared before our first course (I always love this touch!) and we never sat long with an empty plate.

Food: Cafe Boulud’s Winterlicious menu offered 3 choices for each course. For appetizers, The Hubby ordered the charcuterie while I opted for the tuna tartare. The tartare was well seasoned, fresh and I liked the accompanying light yogurt sauce. In comparison The Hubby’s appetizer was more savoury and rich with a pot gold, aka chicken liver mousse. I would’ve been happy if the entire dish was just that amazing mousse.

When it came to entrees, I liked The Hubby’s pick more than mine. He chose the roasted lamb leg while I tried the seafood bouillabaisse. Thick slices of lamb was served in a pool of spiced yogurt with grains and parsley salad. The lamb was tender and not too gamey. My bouillabaisse had saffron potato, clams, mussels and a thick slab of grilled fish. The seafood was very fresh and cooked well. I especially liked the sweet, chewy clam. The fish soup base however, had a very strong flavour that was overpowering.

Both desserts we ordered were quintessentially French, comforting and so good. I had the bucket of freshly baked madeleines. The cookies were still warm, moist with a touch of lemon. I let The Hubby have a one, maybe even two, but they were hard to share. Besides, he had his own savarin, a moist cake soaked in rum topped with mango, pineapple and chantilly cream. I did eat half of his savarin as well.

Overall, I felt the redesign of Cafe Boulud gave the restaurant character. The space felt like no other in the city and my winterlicious meal was still stand-out. I’m looking forward to trying their regular menu and d|bar’s famous Monday Charcuterie nights.

Where I’ll Be:

1. Cafe Boulud – $45 Dinner / French / The “fancy” dinner
2. Colette Grand Cafe – $45 Dinner / French / The “girls night” dinner

Recommendations:

• Lunch – I’m looking for tantalizing menus that are similar or even more appealing relative to the dinner menu

1. Thoroughbred Food and Drink (Past Review) – $23 Lunch / Canadian / I would order Kung Pao Cauliflower, Trout and Apple Crisp
2. Canoe – $28 Lunch / Canadian / I would order Pickled Atlantic Mackerel, Braised Lamb Shoulder and Caramel Pumpkin Cake
3. Bar Buca – $18 Lunch / Italian / I would order Testa and Nodini, Verdure Schiacciata and Biscotti Di Mosai and Cannoli Siciliani

• Dinner – I’m looking for great atmosphere, interesting menu items and best value

1. Auberge du Pommier (Past Review) – $45 Dinner / French / I would order Pate de Campagne, Bouef Bourguignon and Gâteaux aux Amandes
2. Lee – $45 Dinner / Asian / I would order Spicy General Tao Popcorn Chicken, Slow Braised Beef and Dessert Trio
3. Archeo – $25 Dinner / Italian / I would order Fall Caprese, Hot Smoked Ocean Trout and White Chocolate Ricotta Cheesecake

• Good for Groups – I’m looking for a variety of choices, easy parking/access and a spacious dining area

1. The Carbon Bar – $35 Dinner only / Canadian / I would order Hamachi Poke, Fried Chicken and Pork Ribs and Dulce de Leche Ice Cream
2. Cluny (Past Review) – $35 Dinner / French / For dinner I would order the Lentil Soup, Grilled Albacore Tuna and Milk Chocolate Mousse
3. Quince (Past Review) – $23 Lunch / Mediterranean / I would order Baby Kale Salad, Potato Gnocchi and Milk Chocolate Pannacotta

Check out all of my past Licious event reviews for more ideas and recommendations.  

My first winterlicious stop this year was dinner at Auberge du Pommier. This is my second visit to the restaurant, the first being years ago during a summerlicious. While the restaurant has been deemed overpriced/overrated by some, both meals I’ve enjoyed were excellent and based on my limited experience, they remain one of my top picks for the Licious event. I’d like to visit during their regular service to compare expectations and value.

Atmosphere: One of my biggest gripes about the Licious events is how restaurants tend to be overwhelmed with volume, which often leads to missed details and sloppy service. This was not the case at Auberge. Dining at Auberge feels like being invited to a fancy dinner party. The dining room was elegant, simply decorated, dim, intimate and romantic. I loved how tables were placed on an angle throughout the room to provide a sense of privacy, you’re not directly facing or next to a stranger. Complimentary coat check was provided and the foyer is separated from all the dining areas.

Service: Our server was efficient and unobtrusive. I hardly noticed when she re-filled wine glasses. She also made sure we were stocked with bread. Each course arrived quickly with short lulls in between and the entrees were served on hot plates. After the meal, we lingered at our table over coffee and there was no rush for us to leave.

Food: Cozy, elegant atmosphere and topnotch service aside, the reason I come back to Auberge is the food. For $45 (comparable to $75-$100 a la carte), the three course meal is a steal. Each dish was plated beautifully with different colours and textures. Every bite was delectable and portion sizes were perfect for me.

For appetizers, I ordered the Seafood Remoulade while The Fiance chose the spiced pork Terrine. Both dishes set the meal off to a great start. My crab and shrimp salad was light and flavourful with the meyer lemon aioli. I loved the halves of grape that added sweetness to some bites and the crunchiness of the croutons. Off of The Fiance’s plate, I stole a lot of his pickles. Luckily, he doesn’t eat mushrooms so those were all mine. The vegetables were lightly pickled, the perfect balance between sour and sweet. The terrine itself was rich and savoury.

More often than not, I order seafood during Winterlicious. The sea bass at Auberge met every expectation. The fish was cooked to just done, was super sweet and had a beautiful crisp skin. The Fiance’s steak was also buttery soft and the horseradish cauliflower puree provided a touch of heat. At first, I was sure it was fluffy mashed potatoes. Then there was the sauteed (buttered) spinach that deserves it’s own callout. Lots of butter.

For dessert, I chose the Chocolate dish and got to sample the cheese and beignet. Out of the three, the beignet was the strongest. It’s hard to go wrong with airy donuts, dusted in sugar and served with apple cider parfait, aka cubes of creamy goodness. My chocolate mousse was dense and rich but not overly sweet. For me, cheese is not a dessert, but the piece of aged cheddar that was served was tasty.

Overall, an exceptional dinner at Auberge du Pommier, cementing their place in my list of top Licious restaurants.

Every year, I aim to eat at one “fancy” restaurant to add to my list of restaurants for special occasions, one casual “dinner” for a night out with friends and one restaurant that caters to large groups. So far this year, I have 2 dinners and 1 lunch planned.

Where I’ll Be:

1. Auberge Du Pommier; – $45 Dinner / French / The “fancy” dinner
2. Cluny – $35 Dinner / French / The “casual” dinner
3. Marben – $23 Lunch / Spanish / The “group” dinner

Recommendations:

• Lunch – I’m looking for tantalizing menus that are similar or even more appealing relative to the dinner menu

1. La Societe – $23 Lunch / French / I would order 3 Oysters, Oven Roasted Salmon and Grand Marnier Creme Brulee
2. Tabule (Past Review) – $18 Lunch / Mediterranean / I would order Lentil Soup, Kefta Kebab and Gelato
3. Canoe – $28 Lunch / Canadian / I would order Smoked + Potted Salmon, Alberta Beef Brisket and Osprey Bluffs Honey Panna Cotta

• Dinner – I’m looking for great atmosphere, interesting menu items and best value

1. Los Colibris – $35 Dinner / Mexican / I would order Empanadas de Tinga, Ropa Vieja and Helados y Nieves
2. Cafe Boulud (Past Review) – $45 Dinner / French / I would order Digby Scallops, Cumbrae Beef “Pot au Feu” and Pear Chocolate Gateau
3. Luma (Past Review) – $35 Dinner / Canadian / I would order Cauliflower Salad, Lamb Ragu Cavatelli and Lemon Posset

• Good for Groups – I’m looking for a variety of choices, easy parking/access and a spacious dining area

1. Marben – $23 Lunch $35 Dinner / Spanish / I would order the Steamed PEI Mussels, John’s Burger and Nutella Creme Brulee
2. Habit Gastropub (Past Review) – $25 Dinner only / Canadian / I would order Beef Carpaccio, Habits Burger and Cheesecake
3. Ganzi Osteria (Past Review) – $25 Dinner only / Italian / I would order the Winter Caprese, Homemade Fettuccine and Tiramisu

Check out all of my past Licious event reviews for more ideas and recommendations.

During each liciousTO event I like to organize a group meal at a new restaurant for my friends, which usually means a party of 8-10. I look for a restaurant with more than three entree options and a dining area large enough to fit us comfortably. Destingo fit both of these criteria and was my top choice based on their consistent positive reviews.

Atmosphere: Wood grain tables, exposed cement walls and large glass pendant lights make up the dining space. The kitchen is fully open to the seating area and bottles of wine line the wall across from individual washrooms. Every square foot of the restaurant is economically designed and serves a function. With this, there’s plenty of room to seat several large groups without worry about elbow room. The noise level at the beginning of dinner was comfortable but as more customers arrived, the decibels increased and echoed making conversation difficult. Our table also got chillier as the night went on.
Service: The service that night was friendly but unorganized with a slight frantic feel. Our entire meal took 3 hours and while this was nice to hang out with friends and no one really minded, it was longer than I had planned for. We waited a good 20 minutes after ordering before appetizers arrived and another good amount of time after plates were cleared before entrees were served. Our server was wonderful and brought bread refills between the two courses. One of my friends also managed to spill his water and that was quickly cleaned up.

Food: Two bread boards were served with an amazing sweet butter that was quickly devoured. This was one instance where the butter was finished with bread left behind (very little). I ordered the Verde Salad for my appetizer and the BF had the calamari. Our table heavily favoured the calamari with only one person ordering the soup of the day, cream of mushroom. Portions were generous and my salad was very refreshing with slices of apple, nutty walnuts, plentiful parmesan cheese and a light dressing. The greens served with the calamari was more heavily dressed. The squid itself was grilled, not battered and tender, easy to bite through. I loved the olives and capers making the dish feel like a traditional antipasto.

The BF and I both ordered the New Zealand lamb and I snagged a piece of the Quattro Funghi Pizza from a friend. My lamb was cooked to a medium rare, tender and had a good gamey flavour while the mint sauce was fresh and not overpowering. The dish was well executed and used colourful vegetables to round out the presentation. I really liked the crust on the pizza, paper thin and crispy. I found the asiago a little strong for my taste and masked the mushrooms a bit. I didn’t get to try the Chicken Parmigiana but heard good things and the bite of Pappardelle I had was delicious. The pasta was thin, al dente and almost made me wish I had ordered that as my main. As for portions, the lamb was the smallest dish but still a good size while the pizza and pasta were on the larger side.

I did get to sample all the desserts and my favourite was the Tiramisu, followed closely by the Molten Chocolate Cake. The apple strudel was only ok, especially after the amazing Apply Purse I had at Bent. The tiramisu was rich, creamy and had a wonderful coffee flavour. The Molten Chocolate Cake was more dense and less molten than I had expected but nonetheless tasty.

My second Winterlicious stop this year was Bent, a new restaurant from Susur Lee in partnership with his sons. Located at Dundas and Bathurst, Bent is trendy attracting a younger crowd with a menu of Asian fusion dishes. During the past year, Bent offered a special “Bent-O” set menu twice, both of which I missed. Needless to say, this made them my top priority for booking Winterlicious.

Atmosphere: A light bulb sign, in the shape of an arrow, points out Bent making the entrance easy to spot from down the street. The entranceway of the restaurant leads into the dining space as well as downstairs to the washrooms. A thick red curtain is in place to keep the chill out of the main room, but it also bellows in each time the front doors open. It also means that the stairs to the washroom is chilly. Past the entryway curtain, the space is richly decorated with glossy woods, metal pendant lights and a treasure trove of trinkets. Tables were packed close to each other and the noise level was on the loud side but not overwhelming. I loved the music that night, mostly R&B and pop hits from the 2000’s, great playlist and another nod to the crowd dining at Bent.

Service: The BF and I were 5 minutes late for our 6:15pm reservation but one of our friends was on time and they were happy to seat her to wait. As we arrived, our server brought water for everyone with each new arrival. After we had a few minutes with the menu, he came by and explained each item in detail. He presented the bottle of wine we ordered and gave us a sample before serving the table. There was a lull between the appetizer and entree courses, during which our server came by to check up on us. He was professional and added to our dinner experience. After the bill was settled, we were lingering a bit and was politely advised that the table was needed. After the great meal, I didn’t mind at all and was happy to allow others to enjoy the same.

Food: For appetizers, the BF and I split the black pepper salmon and artichoke soup. Both dishes was phenomenal. The pepper coating gave a nice heat to each bite, there was sweetness from the pomegranate seed and crunch from the toasted pumpkin seed. The spoonful of fennel-chili relish was served with two crispy wafers and had a great texture that was similar to tuna tartar. I was greedy and did not share the wafers. The artichoke soup was rich, savoury and was served with a spoonful of a nutty, crunchy mixture. I’m glad the BF was more generous with sharing his bowl because between the two appetizers I would’ve had a hard time choosing.

I chose the shrimp ravioli with scallops for my entree and the BF had the short rib cannelloni gratin. My favourite part of my dish was the generous portion of scallops. The three pieces were seared, had texture like butter and seasoned well. I also had a great time with the garlic chip and creamed swiss chard. The shrimp ravioli was made with wonton skins and was underwhelming. I liked the filling, but I make wontons at home very often so it didn’t blow me away like the rest of the dish. As for the cannelloni, the short rib was tender, the shreds of meat pulled apart easily and the pasta was thin and bathed in sauce. It was a heavier dish and quite filling. The portion size for both entrees were on the smaller side. My girlfriends and I were well satiated after the meal. I could’ve eaten more but I wasn’t hungry. The BF however would’ve loved larger portions and needed a bit more sustenance.

The best part of the meal was not having to choose between dessert options. Bent served up a portion of both items to each diner, amazing! This was also greatly appreciated because, again, I would’ve had a hard time choosing between the crispy apple purse and the vanilla panna cotta. The phyllo of the apple purse was golden and flakey with a hot apple filling, served on the heavy double cream and drizzled with a caramel sauce. It was good. Not to be beat, the vanilla panna cotta was also creamy, not overly sweet, had a nice sour note from the apricot jam and garnished with a fresh mint leaf.

My meal at Bent easily lands in my top five licious meals ever.